Python3 - using pandas to group rows, where two colums contain values in forward or reverse order: v1,v2 or v2,v1 - excel

Question

I'm fairly new to python and pandas, but I've written code that reads an excel workbook, and groups rows based on the values contained in two columns.
So where Col_1=A and Col_2=B, or Col_1=B and Col_2=A, both would be assigned a GroupID=1.
sample spreadsheet data, with rows color coded for ease of visibility
I've manged to get this working, but I wanted to know if there's a more simpler/efficient/cleaner/less-clunky way to do this.
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_excel('test.xlsx')
# get column values into a list
col_group = df.groupby(['Header_2','Header_3'])
original_list = list(col_group.groups)
# parse list to remove 'reverse-duplicates'
new_list = []
for a,b in original_list:
if (b,a) not in new_list:
new_list.append((a,b))
# iterate through each row in the DataFrame
# check to see if values in the new_list[] exist, in forward or reverse
for index, row in df.iterrows():
for a,b in new_list:
# if the values exist in forward direction
if (a in df.loc[index, "Header_2"]) and (b in df.loc[index,"Header_3"]):
# GroupID value given, where value is index in the new_list[]
df.loc[index,"GroupID"] = new_list.index((a,b))+1
# else check if value exists in the reverse direction
if (b in df.loc[index, "Header_2"]) and (a in df.loc[index,"Header_3"]):
df.loc[index,"GroupID"] = new_list.index((a,b))+1
# Finally write the DataFrame to a new spreadsheet
writer = pd.ExcelWriter('output.xlsx')
df.to_excel(writer, 'Sheet1')
I know of the pandas.groupby([columnA, columnB]) option, but I couldn't figure a way to create groups that contained both (v1, v2) and (v2,v1).

Answer 1

A boolean mask should do the trick:
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_excel('test.xlsx')
mask = ((df['Header_2'] == 'A') & (df['Header_3'] == 'B') |
(df['Header_2'] == 'B') & (df['Header_3'] == 'A'))
# Label each row in the original DataFrame with
# 1 if it matches the specified criteria, and
# 0 if it does not.
# This column can now be used in groupby operations.
df.loc[:, 'match_flag'] = mask.astype(int)
# Get rows that match the criteria
df[mask]
# Get rows that do not match the criteria
df[~mask]
EDIT: updated answer to address the groupby requirement.

Answer 2

I would do something like this.
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_excel('test.xlsx')
#make the ordering consistent
df["group1"] = df[["Header_2","Header_3"]].max(axis=1)
df["group2"] = df[["Header_2","Header_3"]].min(axis=1)
#group them together
df = df.sort_values(by=["group1","group2"])
If you need to deal with more than two columns, I can write up a more general way to do this.